The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-27
AGRICULTURAL.
TOPICS OF INTEREST RELATIVE
TO FARM AND GARDEN.
American Hogs.

The Poland China is distlnctlvely an
American breed, having been made up by
crossing many others. The hogs of this
breed are of dark spotted color, with fine
dropping ears, small heads, long bodies,
and short legs. They fatten at an carly
age, but in eighteen to thirty months
make very heavy hogs.
The Berkshircs were INTRODUCED into
the United States from England over fifty
years ago, and have since been greatly
improved. They are black, with white
on feet, face, tip of tail, and an occa-
sional splash on arm or some part OF the
body. The face is short, fine, dished :;
ears almost erect, but inclining forward :;
back straight; body round tail fine; legs
short and set well apart; length medium :;
bone fine. They mature very early.
Their flesh is well-marbled and skin
thin.
The small Yorkshire is q white breed re-
Gently introduced from England. Their
faces arc very dishing, giving rather
ludicrous expression; ears neatly erect, in
clining forward. In general form they
possess much genuine porcine beauty,
and are very popular in England.
The Chester Whites are truly American
swine, having originated in Chester
County, Pennsylvania. Being made
up" breed, there was great variation
among them, but at length distinctive
type has been obtained by careful breed
ing. The Chester Whites are large
white hogs, with small heads; ears pro-
jecting forward and tapping at the
points; coat thin, with no bristles; long,
deep bodies.
The Cheshlrcs are supposed by good
authority to have been derived from the
Yorkshires. In form and other points,
except color, they resemble the Berk
shires. They arc pure white, smaller and
finer than the Chester Whites, and larger
than the Suffolks. They are prolific,
mature early, and their flesh is nicely
streaked with fat and lean, like the Berk-
shires.
The Suffolks are small white hogs,
with very thin hair and fine pink skin.
They are not popular among the great
pork producers of the West, but are ami
mails for the village mechanic who keeps
one pig, and the amateur. In short, they
may be regarded a fancy breed, rather
than one for business. They mature
early, fattcn easily and make fine, deli
cate pork if killed at six Or eight months
old.
The Essex hogs are black. and in all
points except color greatly resemble the
Suffolks. They arc less sensitive to hot
sunshine, keep in good condition on grass
alone, and fatten easily. They are quite
popular at the East, but are not kept
largely in the West. There is a larger,
or, as it is called, improved Essex, made
by crossing with larger breeds, for which
much is claimed.
The Duroc- Jersey is red in color, and
is supposed to have descended from the
old style of Berkshires among which that
peculiar color was prevalent. The Duroc-
Jersey has been bred under other names
in the United States for more than sixty
years, but tits only recently that the pres
ent name was adopted. They are long,
deep hogs, with moderately small heads,
ears dropping forward, bone rather large,
body deep and long, legs firm and short.
When fully matured they dress 400 to
500 pounds, and pigs at nine months old
should dress $50 to 300 pounds.-PraiJie
Farmer.